Air-admixed cigarette utilizing restrictive-flow orifice



A. E. TOMKIN 'Feb. 24, 1970 AIR-ADMIXED CIGARETTE UTILIZING RESTRICTIVE-FLOW ORIFICE Filed March 31, 1967 INVENTOR. flfiAHAM [m Tam/A ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,496,945 AIR-ADMIXED CIGARETTE UTILIZING RESTRICTIVE-FLOW ORIFICE Abraham Emil Tomkin, P.O. Box 7311, Washington, D.C. 20044 Filed Mar. 31, 1967, Ser. No. 627,525 Int. Cl. A24d 1/04 U.S. Cl. 131-105 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention provides a cigarette having a restrictiveflow orifice for mainstream smoke intermixed with ambient air intake which the user draws into a cigarette proper between the filler thereof and a zone spaced from the ignition end of the cigarette to effect a less concentrated tar content smoke intake into the mouth and also effect a reduction of tar from the smoke-air mixture itself.

This invention relates to a cigarette and provides means to utilize an axially arranged restrictive-flow orifice or opening for mainstream smoke intermixed with ambient air intake.

By introducing air into the mainstream smoke, there results a dilution of the deleterious matter usually referred to as tar and thus a less concentrated tar content smoke intake into the mouth. By the incorporation into the cigarette of a restrictive-flow orifice in aceirdance with this invention, the said tar content of the mainstream smoke is not only diluted by the air-intake but there is also effected a reduction or removal of tar from the smoke-air mixture itself as further described.

There are a number of known means whereby air enters into the mainstream smoke of a cigarette. These means utilize either perforations or openings in the paper Wrapper of the tobacco or filler portions of the cigarette or perforations or openings in the mouthpiece end of the cigarette. In the instances of perforated paper wrappings, the air is drawn into the cigarette through the wrapper and mixes in the tobacco or filler with the mainstream smoke from the burning or ignited end of the cigarette. Using the paper wrapper means, the volume of the air-intake varies from a maximum down to zero as the cigarette is shortened by consumption. In the instance of air-intake into the perforated mouthpiece, the air is drawn into the mouthpiece through the perforations in the side wall or equivalent of the mouthpiece; thus the air is drawn either directly into the filter medium and mixes with the mainstream smoke in the filter medium or the air or is drawn into an open chamber in the mouthpiece with the mouth end unobstructed to the atmosphere and mixes with the mainstream smoke in the open chamber.

In the known instances cited whereby air is introduced into the mainstream smoke, there are present conditions that make the ratio of the mainstream smoke and air vary widely through the smoking cycle. By the use of the perforated paper wrapper covering on the tobacco portion, the amount of air will vary, as indicated previously, with the decrease in length of the cigarette as being smoked. At its fullest length there Will be a maximum of air drawn and mixed with the mainstream smoke. At its shortest length, at the termination of the smoking cycle, little of the paper wrapper will remain with the mainstream smoke containing none or just a trace amount of air-intake. By the use of the air-intake through the mouthpiece beyond the tobacco portion or filler, the smoke-air mixture ratio will vary throughout the smoking cycle. Since the draw resistance from the tobacco portion is greatest at the start of the smoking cycle with p we the full length of the cigarette, the proportion of air-intake will be greatest at that point. As the cigarette shortens in the smoking cycle, the draw resistance from the tobacco portion decreases. With the decrease of draw resistance a greater amount of mainstream smoke will be drawn into the mouthpiece element of the cigarette. Since the smoke-air mixture ratio is dependent upon the relative draw resistances from the tobacco portion and from the perforated side-wall mouthpiece, a lower dra'W resistance from the tobacco portion will result in a larger amount of mainstream smoke entering the mouthpiece thereby reducing the amount of air in the smoke-air mixture.

By the embodiment of this invention into a cigarette of a restrictive-flow orifice or opening between the smokeair mixture and the end of the cigarette placed in the mouth, certain positive advantages result that are not attainable with smoke-air cigarettes as presently manufactured. In the utilization of a restrictive-flow orifice or opening for air-intake type of cigarettes, these advantages particularly are nominal uniform flow rate of the mainstream smoke throughout the entire smoking cycle from the start, that is when the cigarette is at its fullest length, to the termination of smoking when the cigarette is at its shortest smoking length, which produces a nominal uniform smoke-air ratio throughout the entire smoking cycle; intimate and uniform admixture of mainstream smoke and air-intake by close contact and mixing of both components through the orifice flow; and concentrated tar deposition on the filter medium by impingement of the smoke-air mixture in a jet or stream as described.

This invention may be carried out in various forms without limitation as to constituents, composition, dimensions, construction, or proportions and the like, some examples being shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one form of cigarette made according to the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the cigarette of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on the plane of line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a modified form taken on the same plane as FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through a second modified form on the same plane as FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a third modified form taken on the same plane as FIG. 2.

It is to be noted that cross sections taken through the planes of the perforations in FIGS. 6 and 7 would be like FIGS. 3 and 5, respectively.

The cigarette illustrated in the shown examples comprises elements A and B. Element A may represent the filler portion of a cigarette of a usual, but not necessarily, commercial size and variety approximately 3% inches in the overall cigarette length with a diameter of The wrapper of the cigarette element A, which is shown at 10, may be the usual paper, tobacco leaf or any equivalent material and it contains acceptably packed and rolled filler such as tobacco 11 in granulated condition. Element B which enables the carrying out of my invention is usually shorter than cigarette element A and approximately 1" long, for example. Such element B may be considered as a mouthpiece and holder for the element A since the distal end is obviously adapted to be supported between the lips and the distal end of element A is obviously adapted for ignition. The mouthpiece or element B basically is a tube 12 which carries the filler element A overlapped for a short distance, as shown, into the rolled tube with the contacting surfaces of both wrapper and tube 12 joined and sealed by a suitable adhesive or binding agent.

Said tube 12 may be made of stiff paper or the like.

In each tube 12 is located a transverse disc or plate 13 which is spaced from both ends of the tube 12.

Said elements A and B, for convenience, may be considered as outer and inner, respectively.

Each disc or plate 13 has a central opening or orifice 14 through which the smoke is constrained to travel by draft into the mouth. In the form of FIGS. 1 to 3 the plate or disc is spaced from the filter medium. As shown, rims 15 and 16 space it from adjacent filter media or elements 17 and 18, respectively, which may be employed and also provide clearance at 19 and 20. Rim 16 for said clearance 20 is of sufficient depth to provide a suitable chamber for the intake of ambient air through registering perforations or pin holes 21 in the walls formed by tube 12 and rim 16. Said perforations 21 are arranged in an annular row and are spaced from the filter element 18. The size of the orifice 14 and the size and number of perforations 21 are of such restrictive magnitude as to effect a desired uniform smokeair mixture ratio; for example, orifice 14 may be of a diameter of 0.04 inch and each perforation 21 (although enlarged with drawing for clearness) may be of a diameter of 0.003 inch. Attention is called to the fact that the rim 15 spaces the plate or disc 13 from the filter 17 so that the space 19 is of such depth as to accommodate jet stream impingement for tar deposition.

In the use of the specific form of FIGS. 1 to 3, for example, the smoker draws upon the mouthpiece element B While the filler element A is lighted. The resultant smoke passes through the filter medium 18 and is drawn into the chamber 20. Simultaneously, an amount of outside or ambient air is drawn into the chamber 20 through the side wall perforations 21. Within the chamber 20 the mainstream smoke coming from the filler element A admixes with the air-intake through perforations 21. The resistance as set up to the smoke-air mixture as it passes through orifice 14 slows its advance. The intimately mixed smokeair mixture at an overall slower rate of flow leaves the orifice 14 at such velocity and in a stream or jet that impinges upon the adjacent surface of the filter medium 17 across the recessed space 19. The striking stream leaves a concentrated tar deposit at the surface contact area of the filter medium 17. The smoke-air mixture then spreads and is distributed over the entire cross-sectional area of and throughout the filter medium 17 and thence enters the mouth of the smoker.

The flow rate of the smoke in the lighted and drawnupon cigarette is controlled by the rate of flow of the smoke through the orifice 14 of element B. Since the rate of flow has been lowered in the drawn-upon smoke through the element B the entire smoking process has been slowed. The lowered rate has been effective from the start of smoking at the full length of the cigarette down to the shortest length at the culmination of smoking. Because of the orifice control or throttling effect, there will be a nominal equalization of the rate of smoke-flow throughout the entire smoking cycle. This attained uniformity of smoke-flow effects a uniform smoke-air mixture ratio over the entire smoking cycle.

Where the used reference characters pertinent to the modified forms apply, they have been used.

The form of FIGS. 4 and 5 differs from that of FIGS. 1 to 3 only in that the filter element 18a, corresponding to that at 18, may be longer, the chamber 20a, corresponding to that at 20, may be shorter and the perforations 21a, corresponding to those at 21, may be in one or more rows or transverse planes passing through the filter element here designated 18a as stated.

The form of FIG. 6 substantially conforms to that of FIG. 2, primarily omitting the filter element 17.

The form of FIG. 7 substantially conforms to that of FIG. 4, primarily omitting the filter element 17.

It is to be emphasized that the illustrations as shown in the examples are only some of the ways or means to accomplish the aims of this invention; since smoking is a matter of tastes and personal requirements, cigarettes may be made in varieties within the scope and intent of this invention to cover different prerequisites of smoking as the various suggested examples make clear, and it will also be clear that the function and results mentioned with respect to FIGS. 1 to 3 are true in those forms where like or corresponding parts and features are employed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cigarette or the like having a filler, a month end portion, transverse means located Within said mouth end portion of the cigarette, filter medium adjacent to said transverse means, said transverse means having an orifice to constrain into a jet stream the flow of smoke therethrough, there being a recess at each face of said transverse means with the recess at the mouth end side of said transverse means spaced to effect jet stream impingement, said orifice of said transverse means being of such size as to afford substantial resistance to the flow of smoke during the smoking thereof, and at the filler side of said transverse means there being perforations or openings in the wall of the cigarette at the month end portion for ingress of air for admixture with the mainstream smoke from the ignited filler.

2. A cigarette or the like'according to claim 1 wherein said transverse means throughout its major area is a substantially flat disc.

3. A cigarette or the like according to claim 1 wherein there is a second filter medium, said filter mediums being located respectively on opposite sides of said transverse means.

4. A cigarette or the like according to claim 1 wherein there is a second filter medium, said filter mediums being located respectively on opposite sides of said transverse means and the latter having a rim projecting therefrom at each face.

5. A cigarette or the like according to claim 4 wherein the perforating is extended through one of said rims.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,630,243 5/1927 Rosan 131201 X 2,954,783 10/1960 Lebert 13 l201 X 2,958,328 11/1960 Bartolomeo 131-9 3,172,410 3/1965 Miller 13 l10.5 3,318,312 5/1967 Curtis 13l10.5 3,348,553 10/1967 Huber 131---198 X LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

